Earlier today we had the opportunity to go on a field trip with the children we teach at the monastic school. About 45 students and 8 teachers piled into a large jeepney (called linecars in Burma) to take us to The City Park. When I first heard mention of the possibility to go to the city park I imagined most parks back home, wide open grassy spaced lined with trees and possibly a football/soccer/baseball field or two. This was so not the park we went to.
The park we visited was a mini-amusement park with a complete set of carnival rides. There was the bumper cars, a large swinging Viking ship, a large ferris wheel, two small roller coasters and a few others. The principal of the school was nice enough to provide us with the transportation and 10,000 Kyat to pay for some rides. This was enough for the children to go on 2 rides: the bumper cars and one of the roller coasters. They had a ball on the bumper cars, though they had a hard time functioning them. Their reactions were quite the opposite on the roller coaster. I thought they'd be much like me (a lover of roller coasters) but I was so wrong! The roller coaster was very small and so each ride consists of 2-3 turns but the way the ride is built the coaster stops between each round. Just before the first batch of students was about to go on their second trip around there was a huge outcry from about 1/2 of them, "Finish!" It was clear they did not have fun on the coaster and were not pleased to be having another go.
We spent the rest of the day walking around so the kids could see the rides they were missing, singing English children's songs and trying to have a nap time. A few of the students grappled for our attentions, but most of them basically ignored us. They were a lot of fun to watch, however and it was a nice day out.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Weekend Biking Tour
For our first weekend of health in Mandalay we decided to head out on our bikes to do a little sightseeing. We arose bright and early to try to salve off the heat for a few hours. Its amazing how two hours makes all of the difference. The air was cool and even a little refreshing as the cars and motorbikes had not yet hit the road.
Our first stop was Mahamuni Paya (Burmese for pagoda). This pagoda is said to house the second most revered Buddha statue in Myanmar. During festivals and holy days the image is so popular that the caretakers of the pagoda have installed video cameras so people can pray to the video screen if they are not in view of the actual Buddha.
It is believed that adding gold leafing to a Buddha image brings merit and for some reason this image is an extremely popular target for merit-seekers. In Myanmar, only men are allowed to leaf an image and many of them come to Mahamuni. The image resulting from the hoards of gold-leafers is quite interesting. Apparently, only the lower half of the statue is allowed to be covered as the top half still shines its original gold and the details of its intricate necklaces and headdress are visible. The lower half, however resembles an amorphous blob. Little mounds of gold leaf sprout up all around the Buddha's torso, hands and legs. Some is said to be 15 cm thick! It is quite an odd site.
Aside from the gilded buddha, the pagoda is also the home of a few statues from the Khmer Empire. As usual, I had no idea what to expect when the Lonely Planet explained the bronze statues. For some reason I envisioned small, shiny statues that would resemble the carvings at Angkor Wat. I was wrong. These statues are as big as a human (or bigger), they are rusting through and falling apart. One is missing a head. They do have interesting features and an interesting story. The statues were taken from the Thais after one of the Burmese kings defeated the Thais in battle. It wasn't until later that they discovered that the Thais had commandeered the statues from the Khmer after winning a battle.
Our next stop on the tour was Kan Daw Gyi lake. Kan daw gyi means royal and this used to be the monarch's lake. We had also toured the kandawgyi lake in Yangon. Like the lake in Yangon, this one also sports a replica "royal barge" that is now a restaurant and karaoke bar. We did not come to the lake to look at the barge, we came to discover what kind of birds roamed the area.
By the time we arrived at the lake the weather was warming up and the sun was already intense. We spent a couple of hours being gawked at by the multitudes of locals who passed us by. We must have looked strange with our eyes glued to our binoculars.
After having our fill of birds we cycled around half of the lake taking in the scenery. For the first half of the ride, the lake is surrounded by nice looking restaurants and homes, but then suddenly these disappear and bamboo shanties come into view.
At the backside of the lake we ran into another pagoda (surprise!). It looked interesting and we decided to take a look. As soon as we entered a boy and girl who were playing on a tree ran to our sides and didn't leave us until we exited the compound. They were fond of staring and giggling, but they could not bring up the courage to answer our questions, even though we asked them in both Burmese and English. They loved having their picture taken and then to view it on the camera. They were cute.
After a Shan noodle lunch by a small roadside cafe we headed home along the strand road (aka the road that follows the Irrawady). By this time the sun was searing hot and most suitable for drying laundry and we witnessed many an article of clothing drying on the grass, chairs and even on the cement road (I'll never understand how this is thought to keep them clean). The Irrawady is a pretty impressive river. I am very excited to get on it and try to see some dolphins!
Later in the evening a few friends of ours picked us up on motorbikes to take us to another lake to view the famous U Bein bridge. This bridge is famous for being the largest teak bridge in the world. Now, my question is: Just how many teak bridges are there in the world? Regardless of its length, it's a pretty neat place to visit. The bridge itself is nothing spectacular, it looks like an old, decrepit bridge. What is worthwhile is all of the people watching and the amazing lake that surrounds the structure. The bridge connects a village to a larger part of the city and thus many people traverse it everyday to bring goods to the market or to buy goods at the market or to run various other errands.
On the bridge we tried toddy which I had always assumed was coconut wine (aka tuba in the 'Pines). In reality, the sweet wine is not made from coconut but from a coconut relative. The fruit comes in a small purple coconut shaped package but when you open it up there are 3 pieces of white fruit residing in pockets around a woody structure. I personally think coconut is much more tasty.
The lake surrounding the bridge is low at this time of the year and full of lillies and other water plants. During the rainy season the waters sometimes flood the bridge. That must be an impressive sight!
Our first stop was Mahamuni Paya (Burmese for pagoda). This pagoda is said to house the second most revered Buddha statue in Myanmar. During festivals and holy days the image is so popular that the caretakers of the pagoda have installed video cameras so people can pray to the video screen if they are not in view of the actual Buddha.
It is believed that adding gold leafing to a Buddha image brings merit and for some reason this image is an extremely popular target for merit-seekers. In Myanmar, only men are allowed to leaf an image and many of them come to Mahamuni. The image resulting from the hoards of gold-leafers is quite interesting. Apparently, only the lower half of the statue is allowed to be covered as the top half still shines its original gold and the details of its intricate necklaces and headdress are visible. The lower half, however resembles an amorphous blob. Little mounds of gold leaf sprout up all around the Buddha's torso, hands and legs. Some is said to be 15 cm thick! It is quite an odd site.
Aside from the gilded buddha, the pagoda is also the home of a few statues from the Khmer Empire. As usual, I had no idea what to expect when the Lonely Planet explained the bronze statues. For some reason I envisioned small, shiny statues that would resemble the carvings at Angkor Wat. I was wrong. These statues are as big as a human (or bigger), they are rusting through and falling apart. One is missing a head. They do have interesting features and an interesting story. The statues were taken from the Thais after one of the Burmese kings defeated the Thais in battle. It wasn't until later that they discovered that the Thais had commandeered the statues from the Khmer after winning a battle.
Our next stop on the tour was Kan Daw Gyi lake. Kan daw gyi means royal and this used to be the monarch's lake. We had also toured the kandawgyi lake in Yangon. Like the lake in Yangon, this one also sports a replica "royal barge" that is now a restaurant and karaoke bar. We did not come to the lake to look at the barge, we came to discover what kind of birds roamed the area.
By the time we arrived at the lake the weather was warming up and the sun was already intense. We spent a couple of hours being gawked at by the multitudes of locals who passed us by. We must have looked strange with our eyes glued to our binoculars.
After having our fill of birds we cycled around half of the lake taking in the scenery. For the first half of the ride, the lake is surrounded by nice looking restaurants and homes, but then suddenly these disappear and bamboo shanties come into view.
At the backside of the lake we ran into another pagoda (surprise!). It looked interesting and we decided to take a look. As soon as we entered a boy and girl who were playing on a tree ran to our sides and didn't leave us until we exited the compound. They were fond of staring and giggling, but they could not bring up the courage to answer our questions, even though we asked them in both Burmese and English. They loved having their picture taken and then to view it on the camera. They were cute.
After a Shan noodle lunch by a small roadside cafe we headed home along the strand road (aka the road that follows the Irrawady). By this time the sun was searing hot and most suitable for drying laundry and we witnessed many an article of clothing drying on the grass, chairs and even on the cement road (I'll never understand how this is thought to keep them clean). The Irrawady is a pretty impressive river. I am very excited to get on it and try to see some dolphins!
Later in the evening a few friends of ours picked us up on motorbikes to take us to another lake to view the famous U Bein bridge. This bridge is famous for being the largest teak bridge in the world. Now, my question is: Just how many teak bridges are there in the world? Regardless of its length, it's a pretty neat place to visit. The bridge itself is nothing spectacular, it looks like an old, decrepit bridge. What is worthwhile is all of the people watching and the amazing lake that surrounds the structure. The bridge connects a village to a larger part of the city and thus many people traverse it everyday to bring goods to the market or to buy goods at the market or to run various other errands.
On the bridge we tried toddy which I had always assumed was coconut wine (aka tuba in the 'Pines). In reality, the sweet wine is not made from coconut but from a coconut relative. The fruit comes in a small purple coconut shaped package but when you open it up there are 3 pieces of white fruit residing in pockets around a woody structure. I personally think coconut is much more tasty.
The lake surrounding the bridge is low at this time of the year and full of lillies and other water plants. During the rainy season the waters sometimes flood the bridge. That must be an impressive sight!
Bring Out the Ark
Mandalay is set in the dry zone of Burma. It is considered a semi-desert plains area which is characterized by hot, dry weather with little rainfall. It is the complete opposite of Yangon, which is hot and humid and rains like clockwork every afternoon.
Despite its aridness, there have been a few unexpected moments of torrential downpours in Myanmar's second capital. The first and worst came about 2 weeks ago and last for one day.
It began raining while we were volunteer teaching at a monastic school. We were lucky in that the skies waited to open up until we were safely in the buildings but we were unlucky in that the skies decided to stay open when we had to leave (on bike) for our next class. We arrived at our second class (at a different school) pretty wet but not completely soaked. The rain tricked us for a while as it subsided but in the middle of our lectures the rains came pouring down like I have never seen before. It was difficult to teach over the din of the downpour on the tin roof.
As we taught, we kept peering outside where we witnessed the steady rise of the water on the campus. At first there were just large puddles, but as our 2 hour class moved on, the people marching through the puddles began sinking deeper and deeper until many were calf deep. We also witnessed the water inch its way closer and closer to the classroom door. Within 20 minutes after our class ended, the room and flooded and people were walking their bikes around in knee deep water.
We patiently waited for almost an hour for the waters to subside once more or for a taxi to come rescue us. We weren't sure exactly how a beat up low-lying taxi would make it through the flood, but we were assured that one would save us. However, the longer we waited for a taxi the less likely one would be able to weather the rising waters and it was soon announced that a taxi was out of the question. We would have to walk home (biking was also out of the question).
We gathered our bikes and set off in the downpour, very quickly becoming soaked to the bone. Laura always picks the best timing to wear her jeans and so it was no surprise that today would be the only day she had brought them out of her bag. They quickly expanded with rain and floodwater. We hiked our pants up the best we could and joined the masses who were trying to break through the floodwaters toward higher ground.
The street in front of the school was particularly bad and we were forced to wade through thigh deep water. We could tell that people in Mandalay were no used to the rain. Many vehicles were trying desperately to putter through as their exhaust pipes filled with water which caused a horrible noise and terrible smelling black gas to exude from the pipes.
All but a few of the streets that were luckily built up at a higher elevation were saved from the flood. We heard stories of trishaw drivers charging 1000-2000 Kyat for a ride that is typically 200-300. I wondered how many people would come down with mysterious diseases in the next couple of days (little did I know I would be one of them). I cringed at the memory of a little boy squatting over the waste water canals (why can't i think of the name for them?) the day before and knowing that that water was now around my thighs. I did ask a few people if there were generally outbreaks after floods, but they all seemed to think that the Burmese were used to the nasties in the water and thus were unaffected by sewage all over their bodies.
Despite its aridness, there have been a few unexpected moments of torrential downpours in Myanmar's second capital. The first and worst came about 2 weeks ago and last for one day.
It began raining while we were volunteer teaching at a monastic school. We were lucky in that the skies waited to open up until we were safely in the buildings but we were unlucky in that the skies decided to stay open when we had to leave (on bike) for our next class. We arrived at our second class (at a different school) pretty wet but not completely soaked. The rain tricked us for a while as it subsided but in the middle of our lectures the rains came pouring down like I have never seen before. It was difficult to teach over the din of the downpour on the tin roof.
As we taught, we kept peering outside where we witnessed the steady rise of the water on the campus. At first there were just large puddles, but as our 2 hour class moved on, the people marching through the puddles began sinking deeper and deeper until many were calf deep. We also witnessed the water inch its way closer and closer to the classroom door. Within 20 minutes after our class ended, the room and flooded and people were walking their bikes around in knee deep water.
We patiently waited for almost an hour for the waters to subside once more or for a taxi to come rescue us. We weren't sure exactly how a beat up low-lying taxi would make it through the flood, but we were assured that one would save us. However, the longer we waited for a taxi the less likely one would be able to weather the rising waters and it was soon announced that a taxi was out of the question. We would have to walk home (biking was also out of the question).
We gathered our bikes and set off in the downpour, very quickly becoming soaked to the bone. Laura always picks the best timing to wear her jeans and so it was no surprise that today would be the only day she had brought them out of her bag. They quickly expanded with rain and floodwater. We hiked our pants up the best we could and joined the masses who were trying to break through the floodwaters toward higher ground.
The street in front of the school was particularly bad and we were forced to wade through thigh deep water. We could tell that people in Mandalay were no used to the rain. Many vehicles were trying desperately to putter through as their exhaust pipes filled with water which caused a horrible noise and terrible smelling black gas to exude from the pipes.
All but a few of the streets that were luckily built up at a higher elevation were saved from the flood. We heard stories of trishaw drivers charging 1000-2000 Kyat for a ride that is typically 200-300. I wondered how many people would come down with mysterious diseases in the next couple of days (little did I know I would be one of them). I cringed at the memory of a little boy squatting over the waste water canals (why can't i think of the name for them?) the day before and knowing that that water was now around my thighs. I did ask a few people if there were generally outbreaks after floods, but they all seemed to think that the Burmese were used to the nasties in the water and thus were unaffected by sewage all over their bodies.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Thanaka, the Wonder Powder
For those of you who are less versed in Myanmar ways let me briefly explain thanaka. This powder is worn by nearly all women and children in Myanmar and by a good percentage of the men. It is made by grinding the bark of sandalwood. Generally, a large chunk of branch is bought and it is freshly ground everyday. It is said to cool the skin during hot weather and it is a natural sunscreen and is overall good for the complexion.
All of the above information I learned a while ago. But, this week we met an 11 year old boy who enlightened us to the magical powers of thanaka.
We met Chris on the way to school. We first noticed him because he was the little boy biking in front of us while singing and dancing on his bike. Later, after we had biked a fair distance, Chris asks if we are tired. I said yes and ask him if he is tired too. He calmly says no and I am surprised! He had biked quite a long distance for such a small boy.
"Oh, you are very strong." I commented.
"No, I am not strong." Came the reply
"Then you must have eaten a very big breakfast"
"No, I at a small breakfast."
Confused at his responses I finally ask, "Then how come you are not tired?"
To this he pointed to his thanaka smeared face and said with a grin, "I am not tired because of tanaka. It gives sun power."
So, from a small child the wonders of thanaka were revealed.
Thanaka the super-powder. Try some today.
All of the above information I learned a while ago. But, this week we met an 11 year old boy who enlightened us to the magical powers of thanaka.
We met Chris on the way to school. We first noticed him because he was the little boy biking in front of us while singing and dancing on his bike. Later, after we had biked a fair distance, Chris asks if we are tired. I said yes and ask him if he is tired too. He calmly says no and I am surprised! He had biked quite a long distance for such a small boy.
"Oh, you are very strong." I commented.
"No, I am not strong." Came the reply
"Then you must have eaten a very big breakfast"
"No, I at a small breakfast."
Confused at his responses I finally ask, "Then how come you are not tired?"
To this he pointed to his thanaka smeared face and said with a grin, "I am not tired because of tanaka. It gives sun power."
So, from a small child the wonders of thanaka were revealed.
Thanaka the super-powder. Try some today.
Monks of the Night
So tonight we're walking around the piddly Mandalay night market when Casey spots a horde of robe-ladden monks hovering over a small stand in a dark corner. We take a closer look and realize that the monks are biding their time at the "adult" section of the market. That's right, they were perusing the pornos! So that's where the extra alms money gets spent. I just hope they were only buying porn and not the other items at the shop, which would mean they were REALLY breaking their oaths!
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
The Second Capital
We moved to Mandalay after our 5 day vacation in Yangon. Because Mandalay is the second largest city in Myanmar and a major commercial center in the center of the country it is often referred to as the "second capital." Although, now that I think about it, it would make more sense to call it the "third capital" because Yangon is now the old or the second capital since the government moved to Naw Pyidaw.
Mandalay is also famous for being the capital of the last great Burmese (Bamar) Kingdom before the arrival of the British. In fact, there are 5 kingdom capitals within a couple hours of Mandalay. This area was a hot bed for the Bamar ethnicity.
Before arriving, I had romantic thoughts of Mandalay. I recalled many romantic and exotic places in the states with Mandalay in the name. I knew it was set against the famous Irrawaddy, which I also romanticized about. In truth, Mandalay is little more than a thriving metropolis in a developing country. The main difference between Mandalay and say Iloilo in the Philippines is the massive palace wall that dominates a corner of the city. Inside this wall is where the last great king had his teak palace and miniature city. The palace has long been destroyed and the current government built a concrete structure in it's place. Tourists are allowed inside but they can't wander far because the old palace is also where the military has a base.
There is definitely a touristy area in Mandalay, which also happens to be the downtown area. We used to stay at a guesthouse that received hardly any foreign tourists but we just moved to a cheaper guesthouse that appears to be THE tourist center. It is crazy how full of white people this place is! We've seen more foreigners in 48 hours than we've seen during the entire 2 weeks we have been here! Because of all of the tourists, we are also lucky to be constantly approached by drivers and tour guides who are trying to get us to partake in some serious site seeing. Alas, they seem to be the only Burmese interested in speaking to us. I think this is because most Burmese are too shy because the ones we work with are extremely nice and eager to hold conversations.
The funny thing is that when we get a block away from our guesthouse the foreigners disappear! It appears that most of them are not here to partake in the great Mandalay way of life but to rush through the 4 surrounding old capitals on their way north. Thus, going most places in Mandalay takes us off the tourist circuit. This means loads of stares and gapping mouths and smiles and waves from adorable children.
Having said all this about Mandalay, we have yet to actually witness most of it. Our schedule is busy during the week and our first weekend here was spent lounging around because Laura was a bit under the weather (yet again). We'll post more when we discover more!
Mandalay is also famous for being the capital of the last great Burmese (Bamar) Kingdom before the arrival of the British. In fact, there are 5 kingdom capitals within a couple hours of Mandalay. This area was a hot bed for the Bamar ethnicity.
Before arriving, I had romantic thoughts of Mandalay. I recalled many romantic and exotic places in the states with Mandalay in the name. I knew it was set against the famous Irrawaddy, which I also romanticized about. In truth, Mandalay is little more than a thriving metropolis in a developing country. The main difference between Mandalay and say Iloilo in the Philippines is the massive palace wall that dominates a corner of the city. Inside this wall is where the last great king had his teak palace and miniature city. The palace has long been destroyed and the current government built a concrete structure in it's place. Tourists are allowed inside but they can't wander far because the old palace is also where the military has a base.
There is definitely a touristy area in Mandalay, which also happens to be the downtown area. We used to stay at a guesthouse that received hardly any foreign tourists but we just moved to a cheaper guesthouse that appears to be THE tourist center. It is crazy how full of white people this place is! We've seen more foreigners in 48 hours than we've seen during the entire 2 weeks we have been here! Because of all of the tourists, we are also lucky to be constantly approached by drivers and tour guides who are trying to get us to partake in some serious site seeing. Alas, they seem to be the only Burmese interested in speaking to us. I think this is because most Burmese are too shy because the ones we work with are extremely nice and eager to hold conversations.
The funny thing is that when we get a block away from our guesthouse the foreigners disappear! It appears that most of them are not here to partake in the great Mandalay way of life but to rush through the 4 surrounding old capitals on their way north. Thus, going most places in Mandalay takes us off the tourist circuit. This means loads of stares and gapping mouths and smiles and waves from adorable children.
Having said all this about Mandalay, we have yet to actually witness most of it. Our schedule is busy during the week and our first weekend here was spent lounging around because Laura was a bit under the weather (yet again). We'll post more when we discover more!
Thursday, June 7, 2007
A Large Golden Pagoda
We awoke way too early on Wednesday to be driven to the famous Shwedagon Pagoda. Casey's friend was nice enough to drive us and she assured us that this was the best time to visit since there would be hardly any other visitors except for the locals on their daily/weekly pilgrimage to pray. We arrived at approximately 5:30 am and were immediately struck by the extremely large gold and white lions that guarded the entrance.
We removed our shoes and made our way up the many stairs barefoot. There were not quite as many stairs nor were they as steep as the temple on Doi Suthep in Thailand, but the pagoda is still equipped with an elevator and escalators for those who are unable to make the trek on foot.
When we arrived at the foot of the pagoda we were again struck by how brilliantly it shone. Like Sule Pagoda, this giant gilded structure is lit up under the morning light like nothing we'd ever seen. After paying for a guide, we understood why. According to our guide, the pagoda is covered in golden plates that are nailed together to create a giant multi-ton sheath surrounding the pagoda.
Our guide was a nice elderly man who worked for some government agency that has some connection with the pagoda. He learned English from Americans in Shan State many many years ago and they must have been good teachers because he spoke excellent English. He is 68 years old and is only allowed to act as a tour guide in the very early morning. He also claimed that his employers are trying to make him retire, but he has no desire to. His speed was not what one could call quick and he drooled as he spoke, but he was a nice man with a gimmick.
The Gimmick
The gimmick was probably my favorite part about him. He kept telling us he'd show us something that no other tour guide would show us (whether this is true or not, I don't know) and he kept muttering the words "seeing is believing." Well, near the end of the tour, he takes us to a corner of the grounds where the smaller "Elder Brother" pagoda blocks the view of the giant pagoda. He explained that the Elder Brother pagoda was where the 8 hairs of the Buddha were kept while Shwedagon Pagoda was being built. Because of this grand honor, the Elder Brother Pagoda is also important and it tells us that by hiding Shwedagon from view if you stand at precisely the correct spot. Then he takes us even further into the corner where both pagodas are once again in view but this time Elder Brother Pagoda looks like it may be the same size of slightly larger the Shwedagon. He also exclaimed that this reinforced the idea that indeed, the Elder Brother Pagoda is also important. He was very happy to have shown us this little trick and with that he ended the tour.
History of Shwedagon Pagoda
Shwe is Burmese for "gold" and thus describes the largest and most revered pagoda in the Yangon area. As legend has it, 2 brothers traveled to India to meet with the Buddha. When they knelt before him he plucked 8 hairs from his head and offered them to the brothers. Ecstatic, the brothers came home to Burma where they presented their present to the king who immediately began to build Shwedagon Pagoda to house these "relics" of the Buddha.
While the shrine was being built, the hairs were stored in the Elder Brother Pagoda and after it was completed they were transferred by elephant via an underground passageway that connects the two pagodas.
A few members of royalty donated their weight in gold to the pagoda, so it could be plated as we see today. At the very top of the umbrella (or hti) on the pagoda is a small golden ball that is encrusted in diamonds and other precious jewels. There are said to be no less the 4351 diamonds weighing a total of 1800 carats on this orb, which is topped with an impressive 76-carat diamond. There are a few large binoculars around the pagoda to allow one to view the jewels, however the power isn't very good and it just looks like a ball with something shiny on top.
Other Interesting but Random Sites in the Pagoda Compound
As we walked around the Pagoda we saw a few other statues that I felt are worth mentioning. Near one entrance along a wall are two statues of men. To me, they look like fat Italian men with thick beards. They are wearing a longyi that is checkered blue and white and one thigh of each man is exposed to reveal an elaborate banded tattoo. I have no idea who they are or what they represent, but they are definitely worth a look.
To point the way to many of the small pagodas and Buddhas are various statues pointing the way up the steps, just in case you missed them.
There are two very large bells within the compound. One of them was taken by the British in order to make a canon but dropped in the Yangon River (not on purpose, to my knowledge). There are paintings around the bell that tell the story of its retrieval, which sounds quite difficult as the bell is very large and heavy.
One Buddha was also stolen by the British and taken back to Queen Victoria, who immediately began having headaches after taking possession of the statue. She finally decided that the Buddha should be sent home and as soon as it was gone, her headaches vanished. The Buddha is enshrined in the compound and is still inside the wooden cargo box thus proving that it once made the return trip to England.
One of my favorites is a small statue of Brahma (a Hindu god) holding a baby. It was explained to us by the guide that couples who wish for a child come to this statue to pray and their prayers are generally answered.
We removed our shoes and made our way up the many stairs barefoot. There were not quite as many stairs nor were they as steep as the temple on Doi Suthep in Thailand, but the pagoda is still equipped with an elevator and escalators for those who are unable to make the trek on foot.
When we arrived at the foot of the pagoda we were again struck by how brilliantly it shone. Like Sule Pagoda, this giant gilded structure is lit up under the morning light like nothing we'd ever seen. After paying for a guide, we understood why. According to our guide, the pagoda is covered in golden plates that are nailed together to create a giant multi-ton sheath surrounding the pagoda.
Our guide was a nice elderly man who worked for some government agency that has some connection with the pagoda. He learned English from Americans in Shan State many many years ago and they must have been good teachers because he spoke excellent English. He is 68 years old and is only allowed to act as a tour guide in the very early morning. He also claimed that his employers are trying to make him retire, but he has no desire to. His speed was not what one could call quick and he drooled as he spoke, but he was a nice man with a gimmick.
The Gimmick
The gimmick was probably my favorite part about him. He kept telling us he'd show us something that no other tour guide would show us (whether this is true or not, I don't know) and he kept muttering the words "seeing is believing." Well, near the end of the tour, he takes us to a corner of the grounds where the smaller "Elder Brother" pagoda blocks the view of the giant pagoda. He explained that the Elder Brother pagoda was where the 8 hairs of the Buddha were kept while Shwedagon Pagoda was being built. Because of this grand honor, the Elder Brother Pagoda is also important and it tells us that by hiding Shwedagon from view if you stand at precisely the correct spot. Then he takes us even further into the corner where both pagodas are once again in view but this time Elder Brother Pagoda looks like it may be the same size of slightly larger the Shwedagon. He also exclaimed that this reinforced the idea that indeed, the Elder Brother Pagoda is also important. He was very happy to have shown us this little trick and with that he ended the tour.
History of Shwedagon Pagoda
Shwe is Burmese for "gold" and thus describes the largest and most revered pagoda in the Yangon area. As legend has it, 2 brothers traveled to India to meet with the Buddha. When they knelt before him he plucked 8 hairs from his head and offered them to the brothers. Ecstatic, the brothers came home to Burma where they presented their present to the king who immediately began to build Shwedagon Pagoda to house these "relics" of the Buddha.
While the shrine was being built, the hairs were stored in the Elder Brother Pagoda and after it was completed they were transferred by elephant via an underground passageway that connects the two pagodas.
A few members of royalty donated their weight in gold to the pagoda, so it could be plated as we see today. At the very top of the umbrella (or hti) on the pagoda is a small golden ball that is encrusted in diamonds and other precious jewels. There are said to be no less the 4351 diamonds weighing a total of 1800 carats on this orb, which is topped with an impressive 76-carat diamond. There are a few large binoculars around the pagoda to allow one to view the jewels, however the power isn't very good and it just looks like a ball with something shiny on top.
Other Interesting but Random Sites in the Pagoda Compound
As we walked around the Pagoda we saw a few other statues that I felt are worth mentioning. Near one entrance along a wall are two statues of men. To me, they look like fat Italian men with thick beards. They are wearing a longyi that is checkered blue and white and one thigh of each man is exposed to reveal an elaborate banded tattoo. I have no idea who they are or what they represent, but they are definitely worth a look.
To point the way to many of the small pagodas and Buddhas are various statues pointing the way up the steps, just in case you missed them.
There are two very large bells within the compound. One of them was taken by the British in order to make a canon but dropped in the Yangon River (not on purpose, to my knowledge). There are paintings around the bell that tell the story of its retrieval, which sounds quite difficult as the bell is very large and heavy.
One Buddha was also stolen by the British and taken back to Queen Victoria, who immediately began having headaches after taking possession of the statue. She finally decided that the Buddha should be sent home and as soon as it was gone, her headaches vanished. The Buddha is enshrined in the compound and is still inside the wooden cargo box thus proving that it once made the return trip to England.
One of my favorites is a small statue of Brahma (a Hindu god) holding a baby. It was explained to us by the guide that couples who wish for a child come to this statue to pray and their prayers are generally answered.
Tea and the US Embassy in Myanmar
The following day was fairly unexciting. We went to the United States Embassy, which is an interesting place near the park we had visited the day before. Half of the road is blocked off and we tried to enter it the previous day, we could have sworn that we were redirected by a cop across the street. Why he wouldn't let two foreigners down a foreign embassy street is beyond us and confused us greatly.
We thought it may have something to do with the large sign in English that faced the embassy. This sign informed the public of the four "People's Desires" namely
1) Oppose those relying on external elements, acting as stooges, holding negative views.
2) Oppose those trying to jeopardize stability of the State and progress of the nation.
3) Oppose foreign nations interfering in internal affairs of the State.
4) Crush all internal and external destructive elements as the common enemy.
You gotta love the word stooges. I think they strategically placed the sign in front of the US Embassy so they could see number 3. You also gotta love crushing destructive elements. Word choice in these matters is key.
As it turned out, our fears were for not because we had no problems getting in the following day, except we arrived in the morning to be informed that they only saw their own citizens from 2-3:30 in the afternoon. So, we putzed around the city for a while, stopping at a sidewalk side teashop for a drink to hide from the rain. When I say sidewalk side teashop this is exactly what I mean. I was a little surprised to find many teashops literally on the sidewalk. The owners set up child-size tables with child-size stools and one sits about 5 inches from the floor while sipping on tea and eating snacks. Most of these shops are equipped with large umbrellas to shade their customers from the sun and protect them from the rain. So, we sat on our stools and watched Yangon go by in the rain.
The way most tea shops work is you sit down and order a hot drink. Usually this is Indian style sweet tea with condensed milk, much like the tea tarik we found in teashops in Malaysia. However other teas, such as lemon tea, are also available, we just don't know how to order them yet. Then, each table is also provided with Chinese style plain tea, which is free for the taking. Some of the shops place a tray of fried snacks at your table, which you sample at your liking. If none is eaten then none paid for. Some more permanent shops also provide dahls and curries to eat with your tea. These shops are the center of social life for many Burmese. Men and women will converge here to gossip, catch up and sit for hours to while away the day. They are most interesting places to visit.
After our long cup of tea, we headed back to the US Embassy. With great smiles and superb English the security staff began rummaging through our bags telling us all of the things we may not take inside. We may not bring bell peppers, cameras, water or even medicine (medicine? this one confused me). We opted to leave everything in their care, save the umbrellas, which we were forced to deposit before passing through the metal detectors so we really shouldn't have bothered.
Once inside, we noticed how small and quite it was. There were a handful of Burmese men being interviewed for visas so they could work on ships but other than that, it was empty. We decided to register and get more pages in our passports, so we could get a Cambodian visa in a few months. This took awhile, but they had CNN on while we waited and we were able to rummage through months old copies of the New Yorker, the Economist and Time, so we caught up a bit on foreign and national affairs.
It was an interesting if not exciting afternoon.
We thought it may have something to do with the large sign in English that faced the embassy. This sign informed the public of the four "People's Desires" namely
1) Oppose those relying on external elements, acting as stooges, holding negative views.
2) Oppose those trying to jeopardize stability of the State and progress of the nation.
3) Oppose foreign nations interfering in internal affairs of the State.
4) Crush all internal and external destructive elements as the common enemy.
You gotta love the word stooges. I think they strategically placed the sign in front of the US Embassy so they could see number 3. You also gotta love crushing destructive elements. Word choice in these matters is key.
As it turned out, our fears were for not because we had no problems getting in the following day, except we arrived in the morning to be informed that they only saw their own citizens from 2-3:30 in the afternoon. So, we putzed around the city for a while, stopping at a sidewalk side teashop for a drink to hide from the rain. When I say sidewalk side teashop this is exactly what I mean. I was a little surprised to find many teashops literally on the sidewalk. The owners set up child-size tables with child-size stools and one sits about 5 inches from the floor while sipping on tea and eating snacks. Most of these shops are equipped with large umbrellas to shade their customers from the sun and protect them from the rain. So, we sat on our stools and watched Yangon go by in the rain.
The way most tea shops work is you sit down and order a hot drink. Usually this is Indian style sweet tea with condensed milk, much like the tea tarik we found in teashops in Malaysia. However other teas, such as lemon tea, are also available, we just don't know how to order them yet. Then, each table is also provided with Chinese style plain tea, which is free for the taking. Some of the shops place a tray of fried snacks at your table, which you sample at your liking. If none is eaten then none paid for. Some more permanent shops also provide dahls and curries to eat with your tea. These shops are the center of social life for many Burmese. Men and women will converge here to gossip, catch up and sit for hours to while away the day. They are most interesting places to visit.
After our long cup of tea, we headed back to the US Embassy. With great smiles and superb English the security staff began rummaging through our bags telling us all of the things we may not take inside. We may not bring bell peppers, cameras, water or even medicine (medicine? this one confused me). We opted to leave everything in their care, save the umbrellas, which we were forced to deposit before passing through the metal detectors so we really shouldn't have bothered.
Once inside, we noticed how small and quite it was. There were a handful of Burmese men being interviewed for visas so they could work on ships but other than that, it was empty. We decided to register and get more pages in our passports, so we could get a Cambodian visa in a few months. This took awhile, but they had CNN on while we waited and we were able to rummage through months old copies of the New Yorker, the Economist and Time, so we caught up a bit on foreign and national affairs.
It was an interesting if not exciting afternoon.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
The Old Capital
Our adventures began on June 4th, when we arrived at Mingladon International Airport in Yangon (fna Rangoon), Myanmar (fna Burma). It just so happened that Casey knows someone currently living in Yangon (what are the chances!). She is working here until the end of this month. Her work was nice enough for her to use to company car to pick us up at the airport and so we were not left to fend for ourselves in the strange new land as we usually are upon entering a new country. This was a very comforting feeling.
We had a early morning flight from Bangkok to Yangon and when we arrived at the international airport in Bangkok is was sparking with activity even though the sun had yet to rise. It's bustling and alive at all hours, just as one would expect a international airport of a capital city to be. The airport at Yangon is the antithesis from this. Yes it is bright and spanking new, complete with freeze-your-tail-off air conditioning but this is were the similarities end. No more than a handful of flights could possibly arrive each day and it was only the passengers of our flight that filled the terminal and baggage claim.
Someone must have mentioned that foreigners do not like to walk and so the airport obligingly furnished us with an old bus to transport the passengers from the base of the airplane to the doors of the terminal. This was nice of them as the distance was approximately 100 meters. I couldn't possibly have managed without their kind assistance.
After flying through customs we hopped into the company car to take us to her place. She lives in a house provided for her work near a beautiful lake a little ways from the downtown Yangon area. It is an older house, but beautifully decorated and complete with hot water and 24 hour electricity (despite the occasional brownout). She has a wonderful guest room with it's own private bath which she happily offered to us. She is a wonderful hostess and quickly made us feel right at home.
Casey's friend had to go off to work, but she equipped us with a large map of the city and pointed out the prime tourists spots, of which there aren't many. We set off in a taxi to downtown Yangon. The taxis here are old small cars with taxi signs above them. The price is negotiated before getting in. The standard price to and from the place is 1500-2200 Kyat (pronounced Jaht or chaht) equivalent is less than 2 dollars for a 10-15 minute ride.
Downtown Yangon is very easy to navigate around thanks to the wonderful city planners of the British colonial days. The streets are laid out in a grid near the water and we spent much of the day weaving in and of the traffic, the hordes of people, the street vendors and the roadside teashops. The traffic for such a large city it surprisingly low key and though the drivers are typically Asian there are often long breaks in traffic where it is easy to cross the road without fear.
During the middle of the day the heat became so unbearable and the air so thick with humidity we decided to find a little respite in a small park we passed by. We paid the 200 Kyat entrance and tried to find a shaded bench. One of the first things we noticed was a large signboard of activities not allowed inside the park. Some of these activities included hanging up laundry, massaging your lover on the grass, walking on the grass and playing football. Laughing, we took pictures of the sign and then turned to our right where it looked like there might be some shade. As we walked to the trees one of the first things we notice is laundry hung out to dry. A few feet later and we realize we are in the middle of lover's lane where each bench was occupied by a young couple sitting close, holding hands and/or kissing. This made me extremely uncomfortable as I have not seen public displays of affection for over 3 years. We had heard of this phenomenon but it was still surprising to see it in person. The couples really have no where else to go as there aren't any really private places and so the parks have become a safe haven for young romance and physical affection.
We stopped by Sule Pagoda, located inside a traffic circle. One of the first things that both of us noticed was how shiny the gold was. It seemed much flashier and brilliant than the gilded pagodas in Thailand. You may think by now we are tired of seeing pagodas and Buddha statues and maybe it's no longer on the top of our list, but the Burmese pagodas are unlike any we'd seen before. The shapes are similar to the Thai pagodas but it is the statues that really stand out. For example, most of the Buddha statues are not solid gold in color but are given human features that are painted on cream colored skin. Another quirk we loved is the bright neon lights that are posted on the wall behind the Buddha's head. The lights flash in a circular fashion and surround the head like a halo. I imagine this is something that Filipinos would do around the head of the Virgin Mary and Jesus. It's grand fun to see.
We took it nice and easy the rest of the day, just wandering around the city taking it all in. We knew we would be back the following day to discover new aspects of Yangon.
We had a early morning flight from Bangkok to Yangon and when we arrived at the international airport in Bangkok is was sparking with activity even though the sun had yet to rise. It's bustling and alive at all hours, just as one would expect a international airport of a capital city to be. The airport at Yangon is the antithesis from this. Yes it is bright and spanking new, complete with freeze-your-tail-off air conditioning but this is were the similarities end. No more than a handful of flights could possibly arrive each day and it was only the passengers of our flight that filled the terminal and baggage claim.
Someone must have mentioned that foreigners do not like to walk and so the airport obligingly furnished us with an old bus to transport the passengers from the base of the airplane to the doors of the terminal. This was nice of them as the distance was approximately 100 meters. I couldn't possibly have managed without their kind assistance.
After flying through customs we hopped into the company car to take us to her place. She lives in a house provided for her work near a beautiful lake a little ways from the downtown Yangon area. It is an older house, but beautifully decorated and complete with hot water and 24 hour electricity (despite the occasional brownout). She has a wonderful guest room with it's own private bath which she happily offered to us. She is a wonderful hostess and quickly made us feel right at home.
Casey's friend had to go off to work, but she equipped us with a large map of the city and pointed out the prime tourists spots, of which there aren't many. We set off in a taxi to downtown Yangon. The taxis here are old small cars with taxi signs above them. The price is negotiated before getting in. The standard price to and from the place is 1500-2200 Kyat (pronounced Jaht or chaht) equivalent is less than 2 dollars for a 10-15 minute ride.
Downtown Yangon is very easy to navigate around thanks to the wonderful city planners of the British colonial days. The streets are laid out in a grid near the water and we spent much of the day weaving in and of the traffic, the hordes of people, the street vendors and the roadside teashops. The traffic for such a large city it surprisingly low key and though the drivers are typically Asian there are often long breaks in traffic where it is easy to cross the road without fear.
During the middle of the day the heat became so unbearable and the air so thick with humidity we decided to find a little respite in a small park we passed by. We paid the 200 Kyat entrance and tried to find a shaded bench. One of the first things we noticed was a large signboard of activities not allowed inside the park. Some of these activities included hanging up laundry, massaging your lover on the grass, walking on the grass and playing football. Laughing, we took pictures of the sign and then turned to our right where it looked like there might be some shade. As we walked to the trees one of the first things we notice is laundry hung out to dry. A few feet later and we realize we are in the middle of lover's lane where each bench was occupied by a young couple sitting close, holding hands and/or kissing. This made me extremely uncomfortable as I have not seen public displays of affection for over 3 years. We had heard of this phenomenon but it was still surprising to see it in person. The couples really have no where else to go as there aren't any really private places and so the parks have become a safe haven for young romance and physical affection.
We stopped by Sule Pagoda, located inside a traffic circle. One of the first things that both of us noticed was how shiny the gold was. It seemed much flashier and brilliant than the gilded pagodas in Thailand. You may think by now we are tired of seeing pagodas and Buddha statues and maybe it's no longer on the top of our list, but the Burmese pagodas are unlike any we'd seen before. The shapes are similar to the Thai pagodas but it is the statues that really stand out. For example, most of the Buddha statues are not solid gold in color but are given human features that are painted on cream colored skin. Another quirk we loved is the bright neon lights that are posted on the wall behind the Buddha's head. The lights flash in a circular fashion and surround the head like a halo. I imagine this is something that Filipinos would do around the head of the Virgin Mary and Jesus. It's grand fun to see.
We took it nice and easy the rest of the day, just wandering around the city taking it all in. We knew we would be back the following day to discover new aspects of Yangon.
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